University of Alabama bases appeal of NCAA penalties on precedent

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Calling the NCAA's decision "arbitrary," "irrational" and an "Orwellian attempt to rewrite history," the University of Alabama filed a strongly worded 29-page appeal Monday aimed at one aspect of infractions handed down last month in the school's textbook case.

UA is asking the NCAA's Infractions Appeal Committee to overturn a ruling by the Committee on Infractions that forced the Crimson Tide to vacate 21 football victories from 2005-07 and other records in track and men's tennis. Other penalties -- including three years of probation and a $43,900 fine -- were not appealed.

The school's argument seemed to hinge on a lack of precedent for the practice of vacating wins in previous textbook cases.

"Such a penalty is unfair to the other student-athletes involved, unfair to the coaches involved and amounts to little more than an Orwellian attempt to rewrite history to the detriment of dozens, if not hundreds, of uninvolved parties," UA's appeal said. "The same is arbitrary, irrational and an abuse of discretion."

The Committee on Infractions now has 30 days to respond to the appeal, which is being heard by the Infractions Appeal Committee, a separate NCAA entity.

The university's appeal cited multiple NCAA cases and appeals, but was particularly concerned with recent cases involving Ball State (2007), Temple (2007), Weber State (2006) and Texas State (2005), none of which had to vacate on-the-field victories as a part of textbook violations.